Heat saving device



Jan. 10, 1939. F. c. HUBBARD 2,143,259

HEAT SAVING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 1 1717 877307" Ell/V05 6. f/l/BBH rm Jan. 10, 1939.

F C. HUBBARD HEAT SAVING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 10, 1939. F. CHUBBARD HEAT SAVING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 5, 1935 Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT OF FIQE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a heat saver and humidifying device adapted to be used with a furnace and while the device has great utility when used with any kind of a furnace, it particularly is adapted for use with a furnace equipped with an oil burner. Many domestic oil burners are now installed in furnaces originally used for coal. In most of these cases, and in fact with most oil burners of all types, the temperature of the gases or products of combustion passing up the stack is unduly high and a great deal of heat is thus lost or wasted.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and eificient device which will utilize this 1:; wasted heat and which will at the same time function as a humidifier for the rooms to be heated.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a heat saving device comprising a casing 20 having a series of spaced passages extending therethrough, the spaces between which form a second series of passages, the products of combustion from the furnace passing through one of said series of passages and the air to be heated a passing through the other of said series of passages.

- It is still another object of the invention to provide a heat saver comprising a casing having a series of spaced passages extending there- :1 through, the spaces between which form another series of spaced passages, a pair of conduits being connected to one side of said casing which communicate respectively with groups of said first series of passages so that the products of :u; combustion from the furnace pass through said casing in one ofsaid groups and return in another of said groups, air conduits being also connected to said casing which communicate respectively with groups of said second series of passages whereby said air passes through one group of said second series of passages and back through the other of said groups.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a heat saver such as set forth in the preceding paragraph in which a counterfiow of the products of combustion is effected, the coldest air first engaging the walls of the passages heated by the coolest products of combustion and I the hottest products of combustion first passing through the passages, the walls of which are engaged by the most highly heated air.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a heat saver of the type above set forth 55 having a conduit leading to the rooms to be heated with which cooperates a humidifying device disposed in said conduit.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the 5 accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of the device, some parts being broken away and others shown in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device, certain parts being broken away and others shown in horizontal section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrows, certain parts being broken away and others shown in vertical section;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the structure of the heating unit used;

Fig. 5 is a partial view showing the detailed construction, the same being shown on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section taken on line 6-45 of Fig. 4 as indicated by the arrow.

Referring to the drawings, a portion Ill of a furnace casing is shown having a smoke connection 16a thereon. A smoke pipe II is connected to connection Illa, the products of combustion from the furnace passing therethrough into a casing E2 which is of general rectangular shape in vertical and horizontal cross section. Said casing has therein a unit l2a having a section l2b at its top and a section I'Zbb at its bottom between which are disposed a series of sections I20. The section I20 has parallel flat rectangular plates l2d extending substantially the full extent of the casing, said plates being joined at one side by the integral vertical portion l2e extending at right angles thereto. The edge por- 40 tion of one of the plates lZd opposite the side I2e is turned up at right angles to extend between plates 12d and along the sides thereof as shown at I21. The ends of the top plate [201 of section lzb are bent upwardly at a right angle as shown 5 at I2 and they have their edge portions 12h again bent at right angles to extend outwardly. The top section lZb has the portions E29 extending upwardly. The bottom section l2bb has the top and bottom plates and side plates extending therebetween similar to section 12b. The bottom plate of section l2bb, however, has its ends bent downwardly substantially at a right angle for a short distance and then bent outwardly for a short distance as shown at IZhh in Fig. 4. The ends of the top plate of section I2bb are bent upwardly at a right angle to engage the end edges of the adjacent intermediate section now to be described as shown at I2mm. The sections I20 each comprise two flat horizontal portions or plates I22 of large rectangular extent connected at one side by the vertical portion I27, the side of one of the plates I22 opposite portion I29 being bent at a right angle to lie parallel to plate I2 and extend between and along the side edges of plates I22 as shown at I2lc. It will thus be seen that each of the sections I2b, 1217b and I20 form a tube with open ends and with the passage extending longitudinally therethrough. The end portions of the upper plate I2i are bent upwardly as shown at I2m to extend to and along the end edges of the lower plate I2d or the lower plate I21 of the next adjacent section I2c. The sections I21), Ifbb and I2c are arranged in spaced vertical relation and the vertical cross-shaped standards or irons I211. are disposed at the corners thereof, the vertical portions I26, I21! and I2m being riveted to adjacent arms of standards I212 as shown in Fig. 6. It will be seen that the plates i205 and I2i are of general rectangular form considerably longer than they are wide and that the plates I29 and I2m are at the ends of the unit. With the described construction it will be seen that the unit I2a has series of passages I20 extending longitudinally therethrough and that these passages are vertically spaced. The

spaces between the passage sections I 2b, I2bb' and E20 form another series of passages IZp which extend transversely through the unit I211. The unit I2a is disposed in casing I2 and one end I2q of the casing is curved as shown in Fig. 3 so that there is a space between the end of the unit and said end of the casing. At the opposite end of 'the unit a partition I21 extends to the wall I2s of the casing, which wall is spaced some distance from the end of the unit and said wall has connections I2t in the form of cylindrical flanges projecting therefrom at each side of partition I2T. Partition I21" is disposed substantially midway of the top and bottom of casing I2 or so that there are about an equal number of passages I20 above and below the same. The conduit II is connected to the lower connection or flange I21? and as seen in Fig. 2 this conduit turns at a right angle adjacent the casing I2, the same extending from the furnace casing II) to the casing I2. An-

other conduit I3 is connected to the upper connection or flange I21? and this conduit as seen in Fig. 2 also extends some distance from the casing I2 and then is bent at a right angle and extends in the opposite direction to conduit II. Conduit I3 will be connected to a chimney (not shown). The casing I2 has one side wall I2u at one side of the unit IZa, curved as shown in Fig. 1 and disposed some distance from the side of said unit. At the opposite side of unit I2a a partition I212 extends to the side of easing I2, which side has a contracted portion formed by the inclined walls 12111 and I29: extending from the rectangular portion of the casing. It will be seen that there is a chamber I2y rectangular in horizontal and vertical cross section between the unit I2a and the contracted portion of the casing. Partition I 212 is disposed substantially midway vertically of casing I2 or so that there are about an equal number of passages I2p above and below the hot gases.

as of rectangular form in cross section is connected to flange I22 above partition I212. Another conduit I5 also shown as of rectangular form in cross section is connected to flange I22 below partition I211. Conduit I4 is illustrated as extending downwardly and laterally and has a portion I ia merging into a cylindrical end which is connected with the outlet side of a fan disposed in a fan casing I6 illustrated as mounted on the floor or other supporting surface '1: The fan in casing i6 is driven by a motor I8 illustrated as supported upon a shelf I9 projecting from casing I G, the armature or driving shaft I8a of said motor being connected to the fan in casing I6. Another conduit 20 is connected to the intake side of the fan or casing I6 and this conduit will extend to the register in the floor of the room to be heated.

The conduit I5 extends to and is connected to one side of a casing 2| substantially rectangular in horizontal and vertical cross section. Said casing 2I has extending into the top thereof and substantially centrally of said top a water supply pipe 22, said pipe having connected to its end within casing 2| a spray nozzle 23. Nozzle 23 is constructed and arranged to project a very finely divided spray of water downwardly and outwardly in casing 21. The bottom of easing 2I is shown as slightly inclined and converging toward its center and 'a drain pipe 24 is connected to said bottom and communicates with the interior thereof, which drain pipe will extend to some suitable point, as to a sink or sewer. Casing 2i has a baffle plate 25 extending from one upper corner at the side to which conduit I5 is connected downwardly and inwardly of said casing or away from conduit I5. Baiile plate 25 thus extends substantially across the end of conduit I5. Casing 2| has another baffle plate 26 extending from a corner diagonally opposite to that from which baffie plate 25 extends, said plate 26 extending upwardly and inwardly to a point some distance above nozzle 23. It will be seen that bailie plate 25 extends some distance below the nozzle 23. A conduit 21 is connected to casing 2! at the end opposite that to which conduit I5 is connected and conduit 21 is substantially alined horizontally with conduit I5. Conduit 21 will extend to the rooms to be heated and will discharge heated and humidified air into said rooms preferably at a point some distance above the floor thereof. Casing 2I is shown as provided with a transparent section or window 28. Casing I2 has disposed therein in chamber I2y above partition I20 an air filter 29.

In operation, water will be sprayed from nozzle 23 in the casing 2 I. While this water can be controlled in various ways, it preferably will be controlled by a humidostat disposed in the room to be heated. In practice it has been 'found feasible to properly regulate the spray and then to have it run continuously. Thep roducts of combustion from the furnace which are at high temperature will pass from the furnace through conduit II and into casing I0 below partition I21". products or hot gases will pass through passages I20 which are below partition I21", to the opposite end of easing I2 and will be deflected by the curved wall I2q and will return or pass in the opposite direction through the passages I20 above partition I2 Said gases will then pass into conduit I 3 and to the chimney. The walls of passages I20 will be heated by the passage of these Motor I8 will be driven, driving the fan in casing I6 so that air will be drawn from These the rooms to be heated through conduit 20. This air will be fairly cold and as stated will preferably be taken from the floor of the said room or rooms. This air is discharged by said fan into conduit I4 and passes from said conduit into the contractedportion of casing l and into the chamber 12y. This air then passes through the filter 29 where any dust and dirt is removed therefrom. Said filter can also be constructed and arranged to remove any organic substances or bacteria from the air. After passing through filter 29 the air passes through the passages I'Zp of unit I211 above partition I20 and is then deflected by the curved wall l2u and returns or passes in the opposite direction through the passages I212 below partition I20 and hence into conduit IS. The air passes from conduit l5 into chamber 2| and is deflected downwardly as indicated by the arrows by a baflle plate 25. The air then passes through the spray from. nozzle 23 and must pass upwardly through this spray around baffle plate 26. Said air then passes into conduit 21 and is delivered in heated and humidified condition to the rooms to be heated.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and yet very eflicient apparatus for utilizing the waste heat from the furnace and for using this heat to deliver heated air to the rooms. The air is also properly humidified before being delivered to the rooms. The rooms will thus be heated not only by the radiators or registers connected directly to the furnace, but will have properly heated and treated air delivered thereto. In practice the fan I6 is started some time after the oil burner for the furnace is started. Air is thus circulated through the rooms and the rooms are quickly brought to the desired temperature. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the oil burner is controlled by a thermostat in the rooms to be heated so that when the temperature reaches the desired point the oil burner is shut off and ceases to operate. The present device as stated brings the temperature of the rooms up quickly and a great saving in fuel is effected. Not only is a great saving in fuel effected and a desirable circulation of air obtained in the rooms, but the air is properly treated and humidified. The device is of simple construction, easily made and installed and requires practically no attention for maintenance. The same has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and eflioient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:-

A member for a composite unit of a heat saving device having superposed passages extending therethrough in opposite directions comprising a sheet metal plate bent to have parallel horizontal portions rectangular in plan and integrally connected at one side by a narrow portion extending perpendicular thereto, one of said portions having a narrow rectangular part bent downwardly at the opposite side and extending to the other portion thus forming in effect a tube, the upper of said portions having narrow rectangular parts bent upwardly at right angles at the ends thereof &

whereby a plurality of said members may be superposed to form said unit.

FRANCIS C. HUBBARD. 

